---
title: "Chilean Roast Chicken with Potatoes — Homemade Pollo al Horno con Papas Recipe"
description: "Versión en Español. Chilean roast chicken with potatoes, or pollo al horno con papas, is a main dish of chicken pieces marinated with garlic, ají de color (Chilean sweet paprika) and oregano, then roa..."
url: https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/chilean-roast-chicken-with-potatoes-pollo-al-horno-con-papas-recipe/
date: 2026-10-10
modified: 2026-10-10
author: "Carlos Uhart M."
image: https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/chilean-roast-chicken-with-potatoes-featured.jpg
categories: ["Main Dishes"]
type: post
lang: en
---

# Chilean Roast Chicken with Potatoes — Homemade Pollo al Horno con Papas Recipe

[Versión en Español](https://comidaschilenas.com/receta-de-pollo-al-horno-con-papas/)

![Chilean roast chicken with golden potatoes in a baking dish](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/chilean-roast-chicken-with-potatoes-featured.jpg)*Pollo al horno con papas (photo Michael J. Bennett, CC BY-SA 3.0)*

Chilean roast chicken with potatoes, or pollo al horno con papas, is a main dish of chicken pieces marinated with garlic, ají de color (Chilean sweet paprika) and oregano, then roasted at 200°C (392°F) over potato wedges. It takes 40 minutes of prep, marinating included, and about 1 hour in the oven, and it serves 4.

What sets it apart is that the potatoes cook in the fat and juices released by the chicken, so they come out golden outside and soft inside. It is served hot with Chilean tomato and onion salad or pebre, a fresh Chilean salsa.

Contents

- [1. How to Make Roast Chicken with Potatoes?](#How_to_Make_Roast_Chicken_with_Potatoes)
- [2. Nutritional Information](#Nutritional_Information)
- [3. Homemade Roast Chicken with Potatoes Recipe](#Homemade_Roast_Chicken_with_Potatoes_Recipe)
  - [3.1. Ingredients](#Ingredients)
  - [3.2. Instructions](#Instructions)
- [4. Additional Tips](#Additional_Tips)
  - [4.1. How do you get crispy skin?](#How_do_you_get_crispy_skin)
  - [4.2. Potatoes tender at the same time as the chicken](#Potatoes_tender_at_the_same_time_as_the_chicken)
  - [4.3. Marinating longer changes the result](#Marinating_longer_changes_the_result)
- [5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)](#Frequently_Asked_Questions_FAQs)
  - [5.1. 1. How long does roast chicken take in the oven?](#1_How_long_does_roast_chicken_take_in_the_oven)
  - [5.2. 2. What temperature should you roast chicken at?](#2_What_temperature_should_you_roast_chicken_at)
  - [5.3. 3. How do you know when roast chicken is done?](#3_How_do_you_know_when_roast_chicken_is_done)
  - [5.4. 4. Should you cover roast chicken with foil?](#4_Should_you_cover_roast_chicken_with_foil)
- [6. What Is Roast Chicken with Potatoes?](#What_Is_Roast_Chicken_with_Potatoes)
- [7. History of Roast Chicken with Potatoes in Chile](#History_of_Roast_Chicken_with_Potatoes_in_Chile)
- [8. Did You Know?](#Did_You_Know)
- [9. Recommended](#Recommended)

## How to Make Roast Chicken with Potatoes?

This recipe uses skin-on chicken pieces roasted at 200°C (392°F) on a bed of potatoes that cook in the meat juices. Pieces cook faster and more evenly than a whole bird, and the garlic, ají de color and oregano marinade works as a base for variations such as lemon roast chicken or mustard roast chicken.

## Nutritional Information

Each serving of Chilean roast chicken with potatoes (one 500 g serving) contains approximately 950 kcal, 75 g of protein, 52 g of total fat (14 g of saturated fat), 260 mg of cholesterol, 45 g of carbohydrates, 3 g of sugars and 750 mg of sodium. These values are estimates and may vary depending on ingredients and portion sizes.

## Homemade Roast Chicken with Potatoes Recipe

**Preparation:** 40 minutes
**Cooking:** 1 hour
**Servings:** 4 servings

### Ingredients

- 1 whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces
- 1 kg (2.2 lb) medium potatoes
- 1 large onion
- 4 garlic cloves
- 3 tablespoons oil
- 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon ají de color (Chilean sweet paprika)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) chicken broth
- Fine salt
- Black pepper to taste

### Instructions

1. Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels. In a bowl, mix the finely chopped garlic, 2 tablespoons of oil, the lemon juice, the ají de color, the oregano, the cumin, 1 teaspoon of salt and pepper to taste. Rub the pieces with this marinade, under the skin too, and let them rest for 30 minutes in the fridge.

![Skin-on chicken pieces ready to marinate for Chilean roast chicken with potatoes](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/skin-on-chicken-pieces-roast-chicken.jpg)*A whole chicken cut into 8 pieces, patted dry*

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (392°F) with the rack in the center. Peel the potatoes and cut them into wedges about 3 cm (1 1/4 inches) thick, and cut the onion into thick wedges. Place both in a large baking dish, dress them with the remaining tablespoon of oil, salt and pepper, and toss with your hands so they are evenly coated.

![Onion wedges for the bed of Chilean roast chicken with potatoes](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/onion-wedges-roast-chicken.jpg)*Thick onion wedges roast with the potatoes*

1. Arrange the chicken pieces on top of the potatoes, skin side up and not crowded, with the legs toward the edges of the dish and the breasts in the center, where the heat is gentler. Pour the chicken broth in from one side without wetting the skin. Roast for 25 minutes without opening the oven door.

![Peeled potato wedges to roast under the chicken](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/potato-wedges-roast-chicken.jpg)*Potato wedges about 3 cm thick cook in the same time as the chicken*

1. Take out the dish, turn the potatoes and baste the chicken with the juices collected in the bottom. Return to the oven for 25 to 30 minutes more, until the skin is golden and the thickest part of the leg reads 74°C (165°F) on a thermometer. Without a thermometer, pierce next to the bone and check that the juices run clear. If the breasts reach that temperature first, take them out and keep them covered.

![Golden potatoes roasting on a tray, the side for Chilean roast chicken](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/golden-roasted-potatoes-tray.jpg)*Turn the potatoes halfway so both sides brown*

1. Remove from the oven and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes in the same dish so the juices settle. Serve each portion with potatoes and onion, spooning over the pan juices. A Chilean tomato and onion salad balances the richness of the golden skin.

## Additional Tips

### How do you get crispy skin?

The skin browns better if it is dry before marinating, so pat it with paper towels and do not wet it with the broth while roasting. If the skin is still pale when the time is up, raise the oven to 220°C (428°F) for the last 5 minutes and watch it closely. Avoid covering the dish with foil, because the trapped steam softens the skin instead of browning it.

### Potatoes tender at the same time as the chicken

How the potatoes turn out depends on the size of the wedges. Cut about 3 cm (1 1/4 inches) thick, they cook in the same time as the chicken pieces, while larger chunks stay hard in the center. If you use large potatoes or want to be sure, boil them for 5 minutes in salted water before putting them in the dish. Turning them halfway makes them brown on both sides in the chicken fat.

### Marinating longer changes the result

The 30 minute rest is enough for the garlic and ají de color to flavor the surface. If you can marinate it up to 8 hours ahead, the flavor goes deeper into the meat, but do not go past that because the lemon acid can give the surface a mealy texture. Always keep marinated chicken covered in the fridge.

Approximate times at 200°C (392°F) for bone-in, skin-on pieces, until the thickest part reaches 74°C (165°F).

| Piece or format | Time at 200°C (392°F) | Where to take the temperature |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Whole leg | 45 to 55 minutes | Next to the thigh bone |
| Drumstick | 35 to 45 minutes | Center of the thickest part |
| Bone-in breast | 35 to 45 minutes | Center of the breast, not touching the bone |
| Wings | 30 to 40 minutes | Thickest part; skin golden and joint loose |
| Whole chicken, 1.8 kg (4 lb) | 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes | Where the thigh meets the body |

## Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

### 1. How long does roast chicken take in the oven?

At 200°C (392°F), bone-in chicken pieces take 45 to 55 minutes, and a 1.8 kg (4 lb) whole chicken takes 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes. The time varies with the size of the pieces and the strength of the oven, so the safest check is a thermometer showing 74°C (165°F) in the thickest part.

### 2. What temperature should you roast chicken at?

The most practical temperature is 200°C (392°F), because it browns the skin and cooks the pieces in under an hour. At 180°C (356°F) the chicken also cooks well, but it takes a little longer and the skin is less crisp. Above 220°C (428°F) the potatoes and skin can burn before the meat next to the bone is done.

### 3. How do you know when roast chicken is done?

The most reliable method is a kitchen thermometer, which should read 74°C (165°F) in the thickest part of the leg without touching the bone. Without a thermometer, pierce the meat next to the bone; the juices should run clear and the meat should not look reddish or translucent.

### 4. Should you cover roast chicken with foil?

It is not necessary. Roasting the chicken uncovered lets the skin brown and the potatoes crisp in the fat. Only cover it loosely with foil if the skin darkens too much before the meat reaches 74°C (165°F), and remove the foil for the last few minutes.

## What Is Roast Chicken with Potatoes?

Pollo al horno con papas is Chilean roast chicken made with a whole chicken cut into pieces, marinated in garlic, lemon, ají de color, oregano and cumin, and roasted skin side up over potato and onion wedges at 200°C (392°F). The potatoes cook in the chicken fat and juices, turning golden outside and soft inside. It is one of the most common family lunches in Chile, usually served with tomato salad or pebre.

## History of Roast Chicken with Potatoes in Chile

Oven-roasted chicken became a regular dish in Chilean homes as chicken grew cheaper and easier to find. Today pollo al horno con papas is one of the most common family lunches in the country, and neighborhood rotisseries (rosticerías) keep the spit-roasted version alive in full view of customers.

## Did You Know?

The advice to cook chicken to 74°C (165°F) at its thickest point comes from food safety agencies such as the United States Department of Agriculture. At that temperature bacteria such as Salmonella are destroyed, which is why a kitchen thermometer is the surest way to know when to take the chicken out of the oven without drying it out.

## Recommended

- [Baked mustard chicken with potato wedges, a tangy variation](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/chilean-baked-mustard-chicken-pollo-a-la-mostaza-recipe/)
- [Grilled lemon chicken thighs with garlic and oregano](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/grilled-lemon-chicken-pollo-asado-al-limon-recipe/)
- [Rustic roasted potato wedges, a golden side for any roast](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/chilean-rustic-roasted-potato-wedges-papas-rusticas-recipe/)
- [Chilean salt roasted chicken, juicy inside a salt bed](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/chilean-salt-roasted-chicken-pollo-a-la-sal-recipe/)